Panels, in particular flat panels, are often made of glass, acrylic, metal, plastics material and/or other hard materials. Such panels may comprise two opposing faces, which may be flat or may be curved, regular or irregular, and a perimeter wall joining the two opposing faces. The perimeter wall may comprise a base.
It is known for balustrades and partitions to be formed from a flat panel and for such panels to be anchored along a lower edge and substantially unsupported at an upper edge. Known methods of supporting these panels include placing a lower edge into a trough and clamping the panel in place.
It is desirable for these panels to be arranged/aligned vertically, both for aesthetic reasons, and to ensure that their centre of mass acts through their footprint, thereby reducing constant torque on their support mechanisms. Conventionally, this has been achieved by ensuring that the trough is itself precisely aligned on a horizontal, such that any flat panel inserted therein stands in a vertical plane.
UK Patents GB2490642 and GB2528147 describe alternative mechanism for supporting a flat panel in a vertical alignment, whereby the angle of the panel can be adjusted after insertion. Thus, a trough may be placed on an approximately horizontal surface, or a surface that may be subject to subsidence, and for alignment of a panel to be achieved at a later point.
However, such systems allow for adjustability, but are not necessarily as robust as some non-adjustable systems. For example, in the event of an explosion, such as a terrorist incident, a shockwave due to air pressure changes may act on a secured panel over its entire surface area. Although the force is relatively low and may not damage the panel, the force is spread over a relatively large area of the panel and therefore may cause a significant torque on the panel support mechanism. It is therefore desirable to find a more robust support system.